Tent-support.



'11. w. HOUSE.

TENT SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.l 7, 1914.

1,1 13,898. Patented 001. 13, 1,911

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

DHNW. HOUSE Si, "i

n. w. HOUSE. TENT SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1914.

1,1 1 3,898. y Patenaoct. 13, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wwnto'o DSN. W. House THE NORRIS PETERS CD., PHDTO-LITHrl., WASHINGTUN. 2. C4

UNITED STAIESi DANIEL HoUsE, orl MOBMDGE, SOUTH DAKOTA.

TENT-SUPPORT.

Application `filed. February 7, 1914. Serial No. 817,319.

Specification of Letters Patent.

i Patented oet. *13, 1914.

To all wtom t may concern: i '.7 I

Be it known that I, DANIEL W. House, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mobridge, in the county of l/Valworth andv State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tent- Supports, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

vThis invention relates to an improved tent supporting and stretching device and has for its primary object to provide a very simple, reliable and etcient device whereby the walls ofthe tent may be tightly stretched and the tent braced and supported against liability of being blown from its anchorage by heavy wind gusts.

The invention has for another and more specific object to provide a tent supporting and stretching device including pivotally connected stretching members. adapted for engagement upon the inner sides of the opv l posed tent walls, said members having terminal portions extendingfrom the opening in the apex of the tent, and means connected to said members and arranged exteriorly of the tent for supporting the same and eXerting a pressure against thetent walls. i

The invention has for another object to provide a oldable base frame to which the lower edges of the tent walls areqattached,

the members of said frame being provided with loops or eyes through which anchoring sticks may be vdriven into the ground. p

vThe invention has for a still further object to generally improve and simplify the construction of devices of the above character, to increase their practical` utility andl serviceability in use, and to produce "atent supporting device which maybe produced at small manufacturing cost. With the above and otherI objects inview as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim. y

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be'had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in whichj t Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved tent stretching device applied to a tent. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line of Fig. 1. FigL'B is anenlarged top plan viewot the stretching device. Fig. `t isa detail fragmentary perspective view of one of the stretching members. Fig. 5` is an enlarged elevation ofone of the corner posts of the tent. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the base trame. Fig. 7 is a detail horie Zontal section through one corner ofthe tent illustrating a slightly modified construction for use in large sized tents whereby the stretching members are connected to the corner posts. Fig. 8 is a detail yfragmentary perspective view of one of the stretching `members as employed inthe modified form of the invention. y

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the canvas walls ot' the tent, which 'as illustrated is of the type known as a square tent. One wall ot the tent is provided with the usual top opening to be `closed by asuitableap indicated at 6.

. In setting up the tent I employ abase frame which is constructed of two foldable sections8,`each of which `is formed from a y single length of steel wire having a long arm 10 and a shorter arm 9 extending at right .angles to saidV long arm. The short armterininates inaloop or eyejll, the` eyes upon saidframe sections beingpivotally connect-p` ed to eachother. At the juncture ot the shortpand long arm of each `trame member,

a loop or eye 11 is `formed therein. The r lower edges of the canvas walls of the tent are suitably secured 'to these wire frame members, `the efespll extendin" exteriorl Y g y of the tent` wall. Pegs or othersuitable anchoring members indicated at 12 are adapted to be driven through" said loops into the ground,iioor or other suitable base upon which the tent is arranged." y

At the apex of thetent the same is provided withl 4an opening 13v through which the terminals of thewire stretching members 14 are adapted to bedisposed. Each `of these members is constructed from a single length of\wire,and adjacent the ends thereof areprovidedwith eyes 15. `The members y 14 are pivotally connected by means of a bolt 16 inserted through said eyes. To the extremities of the wire stretcht ing members 14 the intermediate-portion of "a wire 17 is secured. The ends of this wire extend in parallel relation and are provided ywith eyes to receive abolt 18 upon which the upper end of a rod 19 is loosely engaged. A metal ringl is engaged over the pivotally connected ends of the stretching members 14 and engages upon the canvas top of thetent around the opening 13 thereof to hold the edges of said opening in a closely confined position. A suitable flap shown at 20 is adapted to be applied by suitable fastene'rs te the top of the tent over said opening to exclude the rain or sun light.

As thus far described the operation of the device will be readilyv understood. In setting up the tent after securing the parts of the frame together, the ends l of the wire stretching members 14: are inserted through 'the opening 13 in the top of the tent and pivotally connected together, the pivot bolt being disposed interiorly of the tent top.

, The wires 17 extend-upon the exterior of the top of the tent. By moving the rods 19 outwardly and upwardly, the stretching members 14 are moved in opposite directions against the inner sides of the top wall of i' the tent toftightly stretch the same, the ends of said supporting rods 18 being engaged in the ground.l In conjunction with my improved stretching device above described, I employ an improved construction of corner pole for supporting and bracing the tent walls. This pole consists of two telescopically engaged 1 sections 21, andl 22 respectively. The lower section 21 has its lower end embedded in the ground or secured to the Hoor or base while the upper end of the other section 22 vengages the tent canvas at the juncture'of the side and topj'walls at the corner of the tent. A

'.pin or stud 23 is ixed to the lower end of the upper pole section 22 and is movable in lthe longitudinal slot 24 provided in the section 21 of the pole. In one edge yof this slot spaced notches ,25 are formed to receive said gstud or pin when the pole is turned, thereby f relative sliding movement. sion'of these yadjustable pole sections, the

locking the pole sections together against By the provisame `may be utilized in connection with tents of various heights.

In Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings lI have illustrated a slightly modified construction l' which is particularly designed for use in connection with large sized tents. Inv this form, the triangular shaped wire stretching members 111 are provided at their opposite corners with'loops 2G. The corner poles of the tent have additional headed studs 27 secured to the upper sections 21 thereof which are designed for engagement throughy the loops 26 of the stretching members, said loops beingengaged over the studs after the poleshave been set up in position. In this manner itwillibe seen that a bracing connection is effected between/the corner poles and the stretching members whereby the top and side walls of the tent are effectively braced and liability of the tent being blown down by heavy wind storms materially dccreased.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of my invention will be fully and clearly understood.

Owing to the fact that the stretching device is entirely constructed of wire, it will be apparent that the same can be produced at small manufacturing cost, while at the same time said device is extremely `durable as well as highly efficient and serviceable in practical use.

The several parts of the device may be easily and quickly assembled or disassembled and compactly arranged in a small space for transportation or shipment.

While I have illustrated in the drawings a modiied form of the stretching members, it will of course be understood that said members may be of various other forms as may be deemed advisable in accordance with the type of tent in connection with which the device is to be used.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a tent body provided with an opening at its apex, of wire stretching members adapted for engagement upon the inner side of the top wall of the tent and extending through said opening, means pivotally connecting said members, rods connected to said members and extending exteriorly of the tent, and supporting rods connected to said latter rods and adapted to be embedded in the ground to retain said stretching members in spaced relation against the top wall of the tent upon the opposite sides of said opening. 2. The combination with a tent body provided with an opening in its apex, of a pair of stretching members each constructed from a length of wire having eyes formed therein adjacent its ends, the extremities of said wire being adapted to be disposed through the opening in the top wall of the tent, a bolt disposed through said eyes and pivotally connecting the stretching members, oppositely extending wires connected to the extremities of the stretching members and disposed exteriorly over the top of the tent, and supporting rods pivotally connected to said latter wires and adapted to be embedded in the ground whereby the stretching members may be retained in spaced relation and in stretching engagement against the inner side of the top wall of the tent on opposite sides of the opening therein.

3. The combination with a tent body, of corner posts therefor each provided with a headed stud, a pair of connected relatively movable stretching members adapted for engagement with the top wall of the tent,

means for moving said i members and en- In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my gaging the same with said tent wall, each of signature in the presence of two witnesses. said members being provided with loops to detaehably receive the headed studs upon a DAN W HOUSE' 5 pair of the corner posts whereby said "Witnesses: s stretching members and the posts mutully MALUF C. ALWORTH, i

brace each other. CLAY CARPENTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for nve cents each, by uddi-elsing the Commissioner ot Patents,

wnhington, D. 0. 

